"Chicken" Chickpea Noodle Soup

I'm finally back from all my traveling and can get back into the kitchen!  By the way, I got a new camera for Christmas and I'm still experimenting with it, so unfortunately the picture above is a little blurry. 

Someone in our household has been sick this week, and it's not me.  So there's pretty much been only one appetite in our house, and it's definitely mine. 

What's the best thing for a sickie?  Chicken noodle soup of course!  I found this recipe in the cookbook Veganomicon and adapted it into this:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 cup chopped baby carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried ground rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mirin
1/3 cup light yellow miso
4 cups vegan chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
6 ounces brown rice spaghetti

1.  Saute the onions and carrots in the oil for about ten minutes or until they are softened.  Add the garlic, mushrooms, and herbs and cook for another five minutes.  Add the mirin, stir.  Add the chicken broth, water and chickpeas.  Stir well, bring to a boil.

2.   Lower heat and let simmer.

3.  Meanwhile, break the spaghetti into thirds.  In a separate pot, cook the spaghetti according to the package.

4.  When the spaghetti is done, it's time to serve the soup.

5.  To serve, place the desired amount of spaghetti in a bowl and spoon ladle-fulls of soup on top. 

Eat and enjoy and feel better if you have the nasty cold. 

Spicy Tempeh and just a bunch of Veggie Goodness

So this was new.  I have never made any dishes at home using tempeh.  To be honest, I think I've actually only ever had the stuff twice before and the first time I did NOT like it.  The second time it was okay, and I thought I would be willing to try it again.  Well, I bought a package of the stuff at Sprouts and tried it out tonight.  It was actually really good!  I think homemade food is always the best though. 

This meal was inspired from a recipe in the cookbook, Veganomicon.  I followed their recipe for the spicy tempeh sauce and then did my own thing for the veggies.  It all topped a plate of corn pasta and was a delicious, filling dinner!  The Husband ate like it was his last meal or something, and went back for seconds, so that's always a good sign.  So far, the meals in 2012 have not failed!  I'm looking forward to a new year in veggie cooking!

Spicy Tempeh and Veggie Goodness over Corn Pasta

Spicy Tempeh (adapted from Veganomicon)
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cubed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

Place the tempeh in a large pan on stove.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, tomato paste, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano.  Pour over the tempeh, stir to coat, and cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer, lower heat, cover and let cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the tempeh is tender. 

Veggie Goodness to go with Tempeh
 In a separate pan, saute the following ingredients:

(First...)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 shallot, sliced
(after five minutes, add..)
6 shitake mushrooms
5 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 head of broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
(stir and finally add...)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
(Let all simmer for about 8 minutes)